Read, Shake, Appreciate #1
Welcome to Read, Shake, Appreciate! This is your weekly round-up of words that made me feel inspired, songs that made me shake my ass, and people who I think deserve some spotlight.
This week I’m reading:
Outraged, Why Everyone is Shouting and No One is Talking by Ashley ‘Dotty’ Charles
I cackled my way through nearly every page, and when I wasn’t cackling, I was experiencing the kind of stunned self-reflection that makes you go “… well fuck.”. This book is a bold exploration of how we use our energy online, and whether we’re spending our rage on the wrong things rather than using it to collectively make real change. It made me re-evaluate how I show up on social media, how much I’ve been pulled into the performance of outrage, and how we could probably all calm the fuck down sometimes (so that we have the energy to get good and angry when it really matters).
Here’s one of my highlights:
If outrage is currency then think of your expression of outrage as an investment. It is emotionally draining to be truly outraged. It takes effort and energy to articulate the nuanced sentiments behind your indignation. It goes beyond simply ‘taking offence’. You are outraged because you seek growth, change, evolution; a return on your investment. Smart investors do not inject their finances blindly into every opportunity that presents itself, yet we are now in a state of constant infuriation in response to any cause that picks up enough momentum. Our outrage portfolios are a mess and we aren’t even tracking our profits and losses. Outrage is no longer the mouthpiece of the activists, it is the plaything of the commentators.
This week I’m shaking to:
Crown by Chika
If you need a reminder that you are, in fact, that bitch… This song is it.
This week I’m appreciating:
Morgan Harper Nichols (@morganharpernichols)
Morgan is an artist, poet, musician and storyteller whose work makes up about 72% of my saved posts on IG. She creates digital artwork in colourful abstract patterns which she adds affirmations and poetry on top of, channelling themes of healing, growth, and self-compassion. I have her prints around the house and I recently purchased a pack of her affirmation cards. Every morning I take a new card from the box to set me up for the day, one that hit particularly hard this week: you are worthy of the time it takes to heal your heart.
You can also catch me speaking to Morgan on her podcast here:
I hope you’re having a gentle week! I’ll be hitting your inbox next Saturday with the latest Is It Just Me Or… and if you’re a paid subscriber (thank you!), I’ll see you on Wednesday for a One Minute Reminder, this week we’re talking about taking the blame off of our bodies. 💜
OK that song is my new anthem 👸
I just added that song to my Cleaning Playlist on Amazon so thanks for the recommendation girl! 💚💚💚